Monday, June 13, 2011

I don't think most people run into this problem but somehow we find ourselves spending $50-70 for two when we go eat Indian food. He likes variety, he says, so we order 4-5 dishes, plus rice and mango lassi. Well, I've found a solution at Bawarchi Indian Kitchen.

For $9, you get your choice of plain or garlic naan or tawa roti (wheat), saffron basmati rice or pilau rice, and three dishes. It also comes with salad and raita/yogurt.

The only drawback for me is that this place is vegan, but for the most part I don't really miss the meat when having an Indian meal (with the occasional tandoori cravings).

The vegetable dishes change daily and are displayed in the buffet containers so you can point and choose. The guy with the turban behind the counter (Chef Sabharwal's son, apparently) will guide you through it all.

With this setup, two people can taste six dishes, two different types of naan or roti and rice!
The tawa roti is thin and crisp like a baked wheat tortilla.

Our favorites among the six dishes were the channa masala (curried garbanzo), dal makhni (lentil), and paneer tikka masala.

We ordered the pilau rice since it seemed more exciting with all the spices and vegetables in it.

The mango lassi ($3) is on the thicker side and definitely worth the $3.

As we were leaving, they gave us a container of a fragrant and sweet mixture of nuts, spices, and grains that he called bawarchi. "Mouth freshener", the guy said, and it certainly worked and tastes better than chewing gum!

For a quick, cheap Indian fix with variety, you can't go wrong with Bawarchi. And if you're vegetarian/vegan, then even more reason for you to check this place out!

I like the thali meals at Bhanu Indian Grocery on Rosemead and Huntington for the same reason. You get a lot of variety for not too much. I don't know how the food compares but it's an eastside option :)